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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25568779">when love is real it finds a way</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesandpancakes/pseuds/wafflesandpancakes'>wafflesandpancakes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Formula 1 RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Avatar &amp; Benders Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anal Sex, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, M/M, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Summer Break Fic 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:13:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,391</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25568779</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesandpancakes/pseuds/wafflesandpancakes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lando grew up knowing that he was someone special. But someone special needs a special story to find their soulmate. And who would've guessed that his soulmate was someone as special as him?</p><p>or</p><p>knock-off 8k Formula 1 x Legend of Korra x soulmates fic</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alexander Albon/George Russell, Lando Norris/George Russell (implied), Lando Norris/Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton/Nico Rosberg, Michael Italiano/Daniel Ricciardo, Susie Wolff/Torger "Toto" Wolff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Summer Break Fics 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>when love is real it finds a way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteWolfCraft/gifts">WhiteWolfCraft</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>HELLO I FINISHED IT ON TIME, A SURPRISE, I KNOW</p><p>Dear WhiteWolfCraft,<br/>I hope you'll like this. This isn't 100% everything you wished for, but I hope it's still okay for you, I had so much fun writing this, and I hope you have equally as much fun reading it.<br/>Also, sorry for the 8k, I went slightly overboard.</p><p>Also: idk anything about Yen, don't sue me, I just chose a number, thank you</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>All his life, he had been treated differently to all the other children around him. His parents had always had an eye on him, even if they weren’t around him, they always knew what was going on, where he was, who he was with. When his abilities had started to show, they had hidden him, they had taken him away from the prying eyes of the public, just to keep him safe. To keep him at home. Because they had known that once their - or rather his - secret was noticed, he wouldn’t stay with them anymore. His service was desperately needed, his ability to hold the world together, so they rarely let him out, taught him everything they knew at home, but they knew that it wasn’t enough. That it would never be enough. If it would have been for Fernando and Jenson, he would never have left the small village in which he had grown up instead of moving to Republic City, but they had known that it was his mission, his fate to go into the wide world and hold the world in balance and peace - His destiny as the new Avatar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Smoother, Lando. Take a deep breath and act based on your instincts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger one nodded and took a deep breath before closing his eyes and stepping into the airbending gates, trying to coordinate his feet to avoid getting hit by the wooden planks - only that it didn’t work, and the gates stopped moving as some of them hit his body. He knew they would leave marks, his body was painted with them already, and he hadn’t been training with them that often.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not working! How can you make it seem so easy?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let himself fall down with a frustrated noise and crossed his arms, his lips forming a pout. George chuckled and got up, walking over to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You forget that this is my element, Lando. It comes naturally to me, but it doesn’t to you because it’s so different from water bending.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older one kneeled down in front of him, his hand coming to rest on Lando’s cheek, just a bit beneath the dark ink on his temple, forming a fine spiral. His soul mark. He knew that George had one too, hidden beneath the multiple layers of fabric, right on his collarbone - an arrow with exactly three lines at the end of it. A perfect copy of the one Alex had on his collarbone. They had found each other, and if Lando was honest, he was both scared and excited to meet the other person who shared his mark. Not that he truly wanted that, knowing that being the Avatar brought a lot of risks with it, too dangerous for someone he would potentially love.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to try it again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head and got up, giving the airbending gates a sour look before dusting off his pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, those things can fuck themselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think your parents would like the way you talk. Nevermind Susie and Toto.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two young men turned around to look at the person walking towards them, no shoes on their feet, green-colored clothing hanging kind of loose on his body. Lando let out a small huff while George smiled, reaching out for the new arriver.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should hear dad swear, he’s not allowed to tell us off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A giggle came from him as he was pulled into a tight hug, and something inside Lando clenched as he watched his two best friends kiss, bodies woven together. They looked so deeply in love, the way that was normal for soulmates, all heart-eyes and happy, and yes, he envied them for it. He was also happy for them, he truly was, but it stung that he wasn’t in a similar situation but alone. Then again, the burden of holding the peace upright, of getting the other person in danger, et cetera, et cetera. Maybe he was destined to be alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could you maybe stop trying to devore George and tell me why you’re here? You said you wanted to come over tomorrow morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A huge grin crossed Alex’ face, and he pulled three paper slips out of his pocket, handing them to Lando, who only raised an eyebrow as he read whatever was written on them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Pro-bending Championships - Round 3<br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Where? Pro-bending Arena Republica<br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>When? 9:30 pm<br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Tonight:<br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <strong>
    <em>
      <span>Brawn Badgermoles</span>
    </em>
  </strong>
  <em>
    <span> vs </span>
  </em>
  <strong>
    <em>
      <span>Ferrari Flying Dolphin Fish<br/>
</span>
    </em>
  </strong>
  <em>
    <span>&amp;<br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <strong>
    <em>
      <span>Racing Point Purple Pentapus</span>
    </em>
  </strong>
  <em>
    <span> vs </span>
  </em>
  <strong>
    <em>
      <span>Haas Hopping Llamas<br/>
</span>
    </em>
  </strong>
  <em>
    <span>Worth: 50 Yen</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got us pro-bending tickets?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sh! Do you want to get us caught?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex snatched the tickets back and put them back into his pockets while looking around nervously. They all knew that both Susie and Toto weren’t huge pro-bending fans, so the three young men had to put their excitement about the sport away every time they spoke to them. Both George and Lando looked at Alex with big eyes, Lando in admiration, George with a worried look in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if mom and dad catch us? What if anybody recognizes us at the arena?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The earthbender hushed his boyfriend with a quick kiss, one hand wandering up and down his back to calm him down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They won’t. We’ll tell them you’ll sleep over at my place. You know they love my family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before either Lando or George could say anything against it, a loud gong could be heard, signalizing everyone on the island that it was dinner time. With a grin, all three of them began to run towards the main house, squeezing through the doors, trying to be the fastest to arrive at the dining room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Easy, boys. There’s enough food for all of you,” came the chastising, old voice from behind them, and they turned around in an instance, smiling innocently at the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, Niki, we’re just reaaally hungry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>George smiled his most innocent smile while Niki laughed and shook his head, walking inside before the three boys, sitting down at his normal place. Nicholas was already there, legs crossed and nose stuck in a book, which was quickly taken away by Susie, who was carrying a bowl of rice in the other hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did I tell you about books during dinner?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But mo-om! It was getting interesting!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nicky, listen to your mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Toto entered the room, balancing the rest of the food in his hands, stumbling his way to the table. The other three used the distraction to sit down quickly, George next to Niki with Alex on the other side, while Lando let himself fall down next to Nicholas, who sat next to Susie’s at-the-moment-empty seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Also, George, you didn’t tell us Alex would be visiting tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie finally sat down while Toto served everyone their food, handing them their bowls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Mrs. Wolff, it was spontaneous. George didn’t know anything about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mh. You can be happy that I like you so much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex smiled at her, and there was a faint blush on his cheeks at her words, his gaze quickly dropping to the table, earning him a giggle from George. Lando watched them fascinated, in awe about how in tune both of them were as if both were able to hear each other’s thoughts. He envied them once more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dinner went by fairly quick and in somewhat of a silence, the older generation only asking into how the children’s day had been and the children answering dutifully, until the radio, which had been playing quietly in the background, stopped playing music, drawing everyone’s attention to it. A male voice was talking seriously, and Niki looked at Toto sternly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Turn the volume up, I can’t hear anything!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The non-bender flinched slightly and was quick to turn the radio up, the deep voice filling the whole room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Attention, residents of Republica! It is said that the prince of the Fire Nation, Max Emilian Verstappen, has arrived safely home from his long journey across the world. Allegedly, the young prince returned to attend his cousin’s wedding, as Fire Lord Nico will marry his fiancé at the end of next month.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since when has the radio station turned into a gossip channel?”, Nicholas sighed and shook his head, only turn his head quickly to look at his mother. “Weren’t we invited to the wedding?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Susie smiled, gently patting his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and we all will go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A collective groan wandered through the room, and to everyone’s surprise, it was Toto who looked at his wife with a pleading look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Susie, darling, </span>
  <em>
    <span>do we have to</span>
  </em>
  <span>? You know how Nico’s parties can be, and it will be even worse when it’s his wedding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Toto, I am absolutely not arguing about if we go to </span>
  <em>
    <span>the Fire Lord</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s wedding or not. We need to go as we represent the last airbenders. And Lando has to go because he’s the Avatar!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I’m free to stay at home?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex peaked up with a smile, trying to grab his chance of not being part of the wedding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re my youngest son’s soulmate, you’re part of the family. Of course, you’re going to join us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The earthbender sighed and let himself fall against the backrest, earning himself a laugh from his boyfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I have to, you have to too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, you love me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, please, not again. We get it, you’re in love,” Lando groaned and got up, grabbing a few of the bowls and the leftover food. “And now hurry up, I want to see the sunset, and we need to clean the table first. Come on!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The three of them quickly cleaned the table and the tableware in the kitchen before walking out of the main house. Lando looked around, being aware that someone might have followed them, but everything was quiet, so he took a deep breath and looked at his friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Any idea how we get to the arena?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could steal Susie’s flying bison.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or we’re not going to do that.” George sighed and shook his head, walking down the path to the beach. “We’re going to take the boat because I don’t trust Lando to be concentrated enough to get us through the water without any inconveniences.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sorry that I haven’t practiced my ‘How to get through water’-bending skills, I was too busy being beaten with wooden planks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando pouted but got onto the boat, followed by the other two benders. Alex ruffled his hair as he walked by, starting the motor, who let out a loud bang before continuing to rumble quietly. Lando stared at the motor before glancing up the hill to the buildings, silently hoping that no one would go outside to investigate the noise. Luckily, nothing as such happened, and the three friends made their way through Yue Bay so they would arrive at the pro-bending arena in time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Golden light. That was the first thing Lando saw once he entered the arena, pulling the hood of his jacket further into his face in fear of being recognized. The whole arena was in action, everyone was buzzing in excitement, and it was nearly impossible for him to sit still in his seat. He wanted nothing more than to jump down there and fight on his own, win the championship title with his friends by his side - it wasn’t possible without a firebender but one could still hope, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A silence fell across the audience, everyone staring at the platform where the teams would be arriving at. From the corner of his eye, Lando could see a guy - the referee? Probably - walk to a microphone, poking it a few times before clearing his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ladies and gentlemen of Republica, welcome to the third round of the annual pro-bending championships!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whole arena screamed and shouted, and even though the volume hurt his ears, Lando found himself screaming next to George, too. This was exciting, it was still his first pro-bending fight, and to be honest, it was better than anything he could’ve hoped for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mate, that Ricciardo dude is so talented!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>George stared at the firebender who had just thrown his opponent into the next zone, further towards the end of the platform. There was a huge grin on his face as he got back into position, cracking his knuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Crush, Russell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As if you haven’t stared at the earthbenders ass.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex grinned and pulled his soulmate closer, kissing his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love you, Georgie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah, love you too, now let me thirst over Mr. Firebender.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando rolled his eyes and continued to watch the fight until a ten-minute break was announced. The waterbender got up and looked at his friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gonna run to the toilets real quick, update me once I’m back and it has started again, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t wait for them to answer and got up, walking back to the staircase to try and find the toilets. It took him longer than he expected it too, the arena being way too big and complex, so he somehow ended up in a side-corridor which was only somewhat lit. His steps echoed from the walls, but he could hear voices, presumably coming from the only light source, a room at the end of the corridor. He walked closer, his heart beating quickly, and he stayed in the shadows as the tried to look inside the room. It turned out to be the changing room for one of the teams, and Lando recognized the head with the wild locks as those of the firebender.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great round, guys!” The guy turned around, the big grin still all over his face. “I’m sure we’ll beat those prancing ponies next.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If they win against Racing Point, yes. Also, their mascots are hopping llamas, not prancing ponies, Dan,” another voice spoke up, and Lando only noticed now that there were not three but four people in the room, the last of them completely hidden in a dark cape, but clearly not on of the fighters. He was too stocky, too broad in comparison to the other benders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who cares, Maxy, we will win anyway!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A laugh came from the hidden figure just as the bell rang, the signal that the next round would start soon. All of the men in the room looked up, and Dan put a hand on the non-fighter’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should get out there again, enjoy the fight. We’ll come to your place afterwards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other nodded and turned around, and Lando had hoped to be able to see his face, but that too was hidden by a shadow. As the man walked over to the door, Lando nearly ran out of the corridor, hoping that the others hadn’t seen him, and as he tried to find the toilets </span>
  <em>
    <span>for real</span>
  </em>
  <span>, someone pushed him to the side, muttering a sorry. Lando looked up, and their eyes met for a moment - or rather his eyes met one eye, the other being deformed and scarred, half of the face opposing him was covered in an ugly scar. The person looked oddly familiar, but the person only muttered a “sorry” before hurrying away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them knew that that would meet soon again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lando woke up the next morning with Susie by his bed, waking him carefully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, sweetheart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He yawned, stretching slightly and sitting up, rubbing his eyes before looking at the airbender, who had become like a second mother to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What time is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“8 o’clock, but we have an invitation from Nico. We’re going in an hour, so get ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando sighed and nodded, getting up as Susie left the room. His feet led him to the bathroom for a quick wash before he put on some of his more special clothing. It wasn’t like he disliked Nico and Lewis, he really liked them, but that didn’t mean that he loved officially visiting them. It always meant dressing up and behaving, enduring all those questions about his soulmate, if he had found him and so on, something Lando always dreaded to go through. Just because Alex and George had found each other didn’t mean that he would find his soulmate that quickly. And yes, he was happy for them, but it sucked walking around with a couple who </span>
  <em>
    <span>loved </span>
  </em>
  <span>doing couple things. Not that he wanted a soulmate… but it would take the social pressure off of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and shook his head, straightening his top, combing through his hair with his fingers a few times and taking a deep breath. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad today. Maybe it was actually going to be quite decent. Maybe it would be over quickly and he could soon go home again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lando would never get over the sheer beauty of Nico’s palace. Even though it was many held in dark colors, there was still a modern touch to it, and it looked open and friendly. It was clear that it was Nico’s home. You could feel it the second you stepped into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile was on his lips as he walked inside, already hearing the Fire Lord’s voice from far away. Some guards pushed the doors open, and Nico got up as he noticed the guests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The royal airbender family! And, of course, our beloved avatar! I thank you for coming.” He walked over to them, hugging everyone tightly and kissing Susie’s hand, smiling charmingly. “As beautiful as ever, Susie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The airbender smiled too, looking around before ruffling the other’s hair. Nico let that happen but not without a fake-sour expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really needed to do that, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know how much you hate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico looked as if he wanted to say something, but at that moment another door was opened, a young man running into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry! I lost track of the time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando turned around to see who the new person was, stopping dead in his tracks as the realization hit him. The other boy seemed to recognize him too, and Lando could see him swallow, unsure of what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, Max,” Nico smiled at him, beckoning him closer before turning to his guests. “May I introduce you to Prince Max Emilian Verstappen? My cousin and heir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max looked nothing like the evening before, still broad but not as buff as with the cape. The scar stood out against his pale skin, red and angry, nearly covering half of his face. Whatever might have caused it had been very thorough on destroying as much of his face as possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Max, this is the Wolff family, the last remaining airbenders. And this is Lando. The avatar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is nice meeting you.” Max bowed, flashing a smile at them, his eyes still not leaving Lando. “Especially meeting the Avatar. I have heard a lot about you, actually.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>And I know where you’ve been last night</span>
  </em>
  <span> kept being unspoken between them, but Lando could read it in his eyes, the knowledge that both of them have something against each other, something that might get the other in big trouble. He bows too, doing his best to smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve heard a lot about you too, my prince.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s right, he has heard a lot about Max. Who hasn’t? He’s the heir of the Fire Nation, the future Fire Lord, the son of the all-mighty and feared Jos Verstappen, who know rots in a prison at some deserted island after the former Avatar had stripped him of all his bending abilities. They all know the prince who has a thing for getting into trouble, for breaking rules and laws, for misbehaving. They all know that Nico had sent him away on a journey throughout the world to understand and learn from other cultures. To become a better human, a better bender, a proper heir. Whoever hasn’t heard about him must live on the moon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, call me Max. I don’t care about titles.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Lando for you, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And something inside him told him that this was the start of something big.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few weeks went by, and Alex, George, and Lando somehow ended up adopting Max into their group of friends. The four of them started to spend more time together, and Lando was truly happy about the addition to the group. Another person without a soulmate was nice to have, especially because they could easily leave George and Alex to it while for example exploring the city a bit more. But it was also slightly odd to Lando because he was sure that most of the people their age had found their soulmates already, or that they were at least prone to show off their marks, but Max wasn’t like that. Max never talked about something related to a possible soulmate. Not that he cared, if Max didn’t want to talk about it, it was his thing, and Lando was the last one to be a noisy bitch about such things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it came that Max and he were left alone after a “night-out” with the other two (meaning that they had told Susie and Toto that they were visiting Max but secretly went to some bars, not getting all too drunk but tipsy). They were sitting on top of a house, their legs dangling off of the edge, their eyes glued to the horizon where the Airbender island laid like a beacon in the darkness that was the sea. Alex and George had disappeared a bit before, say that “Alex wasn’t feeling well”, and Lando knew them for long enough to know that it meant that they had hurried off to Alex’ place to fuck each other senseless. Soulmates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need your help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando looked up and into Max’ eyes. The other was biting his lower lip, his body language showed how tense and nervous he was. Something was off, and it seemed to bother the older one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, hit me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need you to play my boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of all the things he had expected, it wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your… boyfriend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, boyfriend, soulmate, whatever.” Max sighed and rubbed his face with one hand. “I… It’s for my image. I really like you as a friend and I thought… It would make it more… believable. But I get it if you say no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, wait, wait. Why do you need a boyfriend for your image?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The people… They don’t really like me. You know what I did and… It wasn’t that good for my reputation… If they could see that I can be a sweet and loving boyfriend, they might think differently about me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what if you meet your-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My soulmate? I will never have a soulmate. I have never had a soul mark. So I don’t care. And if you find your soulmate, we’ll figure something out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando took a deep breath. This was a lot. A whole lot. But… he was okay with it. A bit normality, no more pressure to find his soulmate. And he could spend the time with a person who had become a close friend of his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max’ eyes lit up and he hugged him tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lando. You are the best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stayed silent for a while, Lando cuddling closer into Max and closing his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When’s the first event we’ll attend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The waterbender pushed the other back, staring at him in disbelief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow?! And you’re asking </span>
  <em>
    <span>today</span>
  </em>
  <span>?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry..?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear to God, Max Emilian Verstappen, I’ll kill you one day,” he groaned, while the prince laughed and smiled at him sheepishly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It won’t be </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Max was right, it wasn’t that bad in the end. Apart from all the questions surrounding them, especially from George and Alex. The two attended the same event, and Lando was happy about it since it calmed his nerves slightly. Just a teenie tiny bit. If it wasn’t for their continuous questions about why Max suddenly was his boyfriend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously, Max? The prince? Did you two fuck when we were away?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!”, Lando stared at George in disgust, shaking his head. “We’re… Okay, promise me not to tell any other soul.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Promised,” came the answer the same second from the other two, both smiling innocently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re playing a role. It’s for his image. And for all those people out there to stop asking me about my soulmate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex raised an eyebrow, huffing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As if. Now tell us the real reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lando, sweetheart,” George put his hand onto Lando’s shoulder. “You two look absolutely in love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando rolled his eyes and pushed George’s hand away, taking a step back before brushing over his clothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we’re not. We’re friends. He doesn’t even have a soul mark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His best friends both looked like he was about to say something, but the young avatar turned around before they could say it, walking back through the sea of people. Max was standing in a small group, deeply engaged in a conversation, and Lando snuck up to him, putting his arm around his. The older one turned his head and smiled, brushing his lips over Lando’s forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There you are, I’ve waited for you. May I introduce you to my best friend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando let his eyes travel to the person on the other side of the group, and he felt his cheeks heat up as he recognized him. Those curls and that grin - He would’ve recognized them everywhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lando, this is Dan. And that is his boyfriend Michael.” Max smiled as he gestured to the two men, who nodded back at him. “But I suppose you know them based on where you were sneaking around the arena.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If it was possible, he flushed even more red, trying to fight the urge to press his face into Max’ arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dan, Michael, that is Lando, the-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“the avatar, we know, Max. Everyone with a sense of common knowledge knows that. It’s an honor, Lando.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dan smiled at him and bowed, as did Michael, and Lando was quick to follow their example before nervously fiddling around with Max’ sleeve. The firebender put his arm around him, pulling him closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you got yourself a little Avatar, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can I say?”, Max looked down at him with a warm smile. “It was meant to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando only listened to the conversation with one ear as they switched topics to some bending techniques, not very inclined on listening but clearly enjoying the closeness to Max. What he didn’t see was Michael’s eyes on him, carefully taking in his posture and facial expression, before Dan put his arm around his waist and lightly kissed him on his cheek while listening to Max.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>To say that the people liked them as a couple was an understatement - they loved them. Something about the future Fire Lord and the Avatar being in a relationship seemed to fascinate the people, and the gossip magazines published one headline after the other about them. It didn’t matter to him, he enjoyed the time he could spend with Max, and, if he was being honest, maybe Alex and George weren’t wrong. Maybe he had developed a small crush on him. And it bothered him. Max didn’t have a soul mark, which meant that he didn’t have a soulmate, which meant that he couldn’t be Lando’s soulmate. And every time he looked into the mirror, the dark ink on his temple seemed to make fun of him for falling for the only guy he knew who didn’t have a soul mark. Great job, Lando. But it didn’t matter. The people were happy, Max was happy, and therefore, he was happy too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grand finale for their game of pretend seemed to be Nico’s wedding. The Fire Lord was about to marry his soulmate, the love of his life, a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. Somehow, it warmed his heart, knowing that he was to witness someone of his tribe getting married. He had never known his real parents, and Jenson and Fernando hadn’t known them either, so he had limited knowledge about them, but what was sure was the fact that they had been from the Southern Water Tribe. When he then had met Lewis during his first visit at the palace, he had been ecstatic to meet someone from his home, and the other waterbender had made somewhat of a great ordeal out of teaching him everything about their traditions and values. In general, Lewis had adopted him, and Lando wasn’t all too mad about it. And it brought him to tears when he saw Lewis in a traditional festive gown (not as thick of a fabric as the ones at the Water Tribe, Lewis probably didn’t want to suffer a heat stroke, thank you very much), walking down the aisle to his soon-to-be husband. Lando bit his lip as he saw the loving expression in both their eyes, the absolute adoration between them, the trust and love that were the foundation of their bond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you, Fire Lord Nico Erik Rosberg, take this man, Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health, to love, honor and obey, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live? If so, answer ‘I do’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears were running down Nico’s cheeks as he looked at Lewis, who held his husband’s hand and tightened the grasp around it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And do you, Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, take this man, Fire Lord Nico Erik Rosberg, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health, to love, honor and obey, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live? If so, answer ‘I do’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The grins on their faces seemed to nearly tear their faces apart, and Lando could see how Nico’s hands were shaking as he took the ring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This ring is a token of my love… I marry you with this ring, with all that I have and all that I am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slowly let the ring glide onto Lewis’ finger, the red emerald in the middle glistening in the light of the candles surrounding them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will forever wear this ring as a sign of my commitment and the desire of my heart,” Lewis whispered, holding on to Nico’s hand for a second before reaching for the other ring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nico, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love. As it encircles your finger, may it remind you always that you are surrounded by my enduring love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ring fit perfectly, and the firebender looked at it in awe, the blue of the emerald standing out against his light skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will wear it gladly. Whenever I look at it, I will remember this joyous day and the vows we’ve made.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They looked into each other’s eyes, and Nico pulled Lewis closer, kissing him passionately. The priest behind them sighed and rolled his eyes, slamming the book in his hands shut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you’re allowed to kiss now, but please think of the kids, for God’s sake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lewis chuckled into the kiss and pushed his husband carefully back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t even do a wedding properly, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nico’s grin grew even bigger, and he took Lewis’ hand, looking totally smitten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you expect anything else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lewis fell into a full-on laugh, holding his now-husband close to his body and pressing yet another kiss onto his lips before turning to the audience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We shall celebrate now, shall we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, their wedding would be celebrated in a beautifully decorated area of the palace, with golden decoration all over the place and both the fire and the water symbol on the walls and as a table decoration. It was beautiful and done with an eye for details, and Lando felt so </span>
  <em>
    <span>royal</span>
  </em>
  <span> during the dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lando?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up, directly into Lewis’ eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you come with me for a moment?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando excused himself from the table and followed Lewis out of the room, through some hallways and into Lewis’ and Nico’s bedroom. He sat down on their bed, feeling the soft fabric beneath his fingers, watching how Lewis looked through some drawers before pulling something up from one of them. Walking over to the bed, he held the thing tightly in his hands, and he smiled at Lando as he sat down too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have something for you. Give me your hands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando held his hands out and watched how Lewis placed a small vial into his palms. The liquid inside it was shimmering blue and had a mystical touch to it. Lando knew it was water, knew that he would be able to bend it, but it was different from any other water he had ever seen. He looked up from it, looking at Lewis with a questioning expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is spirit water. It has special healing abilities if done right, and even the meanest injuries can be healed with it.” Lewis took Lando’s fingers and carefully closed them around the vial. “I was given this once, but I never knew what I could use it for. But I know you will. You will do something great with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The young Avatar looked at the other man in awe before carefully putting the vial away and hugging him tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Lewis.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need to thank me… I think I’m doing the right thing here…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the evening was a blur. When they had come back, quite a few people had handed Lando some drinks, so it came to no surprise that he was hanging onto Max’ arm at some point, only half-listening to the conversation around him (again). He knew that Max wasn’t sober himself, and as he started to become more and more tired, he not-so-gently nudged on his sleeve, looking up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can… Can we retire? Am tired…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max looked down at him with a soft smile and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, you look like you need it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older one excused them, and they walked quietly back to their room. Lando yawned and entered the room, immediately falling onto the bad and cuddling himself into the soft pillows. In the corner of his eye, he could see Max undress, a view he had gotten a bit too comfortable with during the last time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I help you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t even raise his head, only nodded and pressed his face completely into the pillows to hide his blush as Max carefully undressed him, leaving his underwear on. What he didn’t expect was to feel his lips on his shoulder as he finished and laid down next to him. The Avatar slowly lifted his head to look at his friend, only to catch his eyes directly. Biting his lower lip, his eyes wandered from the other’s eyes to his lips and back, and it was Max who carefully pulled him closer to kiss him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t their first kiss. They had kissed in public for some pictures, but it had never been a full-on proper kiss, with tongues and teeth and everything. He grabbed some strands of Max’ hair, pulling him on top of him in a swift motion. It didn’t take long for them both to completely undressed, moving against each other and moaning into each other’s mouth, their hands exploring their bodies, which were now covered in a subtle layer of sweat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando nodded and watched how Max leaned to the side, grabbing something from the side. The next thing he felt were warm and slippery fingers propping against his entrance, causing him to let out a moan. He closed his eyes, letting Max do his thing, but he was soon getting impatient, moving against the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, Max!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure..?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For fuck’s sake, yes! Hurry up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next second the fingers disappeared and he whimpered, his hands holding tightly onto the sheets beneath him. He could feel Max shuffle between his legs, pressing them further apart before leaning over him, kissing his neck while slowly pushing inside how him, causing him to yelp. It wasn’t his first time, he had fooled around with George before the other had met Alex, and contrary to the popular belief, he wasn’t prude at all, but Max was… something different. Maybe it was because he started to have some kind of happy feelings towards Max, maybe it was because they were only supposed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>play</span>
  </em>
  <span> the role of the couple having sex, not actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> sex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max pressed his face into his shoulder, trying to hold still, breathing heavily. He looked up slowly, using one hand to push himself up, the other resting on Lando’s cheek. Their eyes locked, and they held their gazes as the firebender started to move. Small moans escaped the younger one, high-pitched and the kind of moans he normally would cringe at, but either the warm feeling in his stomach or the high alcohol percentage in his blood made him ignore that, drowning in the eyes of his friend, ignoring the world around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max’ healthy eye was nearly black, his pupil so dilated that it nearly covered all of his blue iris. There was something soft in them, behind all the fire and pure lust, something adoring, as if the boy beneath him was much more than his friend. Lando quickly pushed that thought to the side and indulged in the feeling of Max hitting that special point inside of him, making him see stars. He moaned loudly, making Max grin in the progress as he proceeded to hit the spot. Carefully, he lifted one hand, raking it through Max’ sweaty hair, pushing it away from his forehead. His hand came to rest on his cheek, just beneath the burned skin, and he could feel how Max wanted to pull away, but something seemed to stop him. He let his hand slowly wander up, his fingers brushing over the scarred tissue, hot and swollen. It made Max stop, but as soon as Lando wanted to pull his hand away, the other put his hand on his, forcing it to stay there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re hands are… cold. Feels good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando smiled and kept his hand there, biting his lower lip as Max continued to move. His fingers sooner or later landed on Max’ temple, the spot where his own soul mark was, and he could feel Max tense, groaning as he came inside of him. Lando stared at him fascinatedly, his own erection painfully hard between his leg. Max blushed and looked away, carefully pulling out of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m… I’m sorry…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can still make me come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know where his confidence came from, but it made Max smirk before he slowly moved down his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can clean you up in the progress, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando let his head fall back and moaned, knowing that this evening would be a long one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So wait, you two had sex?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando buried his face in his hands and nodded ashamed. He sat cross-legged on his bed with George and Alex on the floor in front of him, the evening sun shining into his room, too bright for his hungover mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what’s so bad about it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not a couple! We’re not supposed to be soulmates, we’re… We’re nothing…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice became quieter as he spoke, a few tears running down his cheek. George was beside him in an instant, hugging him tightly as more tears followed and sobs shook his body. Alex watched them from his place from the floor and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re in love with him, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s stupid…”, came the mumbled answer from where Lando had his face buried in George’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not. Sometimes, people fall in love with those who aren’t their soulmates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But that’s not how it’s supposed to be!” Lando stared at his friends, only to slump back into his pillows with a dramatic sigh. “What if my soulmate turns up next week?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what if they don’t? You should enjoy your life, even if it means that you’re in love with someone who isn’t your soulmate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando looked at George for a split-second before staring at the ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t matter, he doesn’t feel that way about me. I bet I was just a nice fuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t say that,” Alex interrupted, gently smiling at him. “You’re going to meet up again, and you’re going to act as if nothing has happened. You’re still friends, and he still likes you. Everything’s going to be alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except it wasn’t. Nothing seemed to be alright. Max ignored him for the majority of the next couple of weeks, and if they met up as a friend group, it was awkward between them. Alex and George tried their best to de-escalate the situation in a way, but nothing seemed to help, and Lando grew more and more frustrated. He just wanted one of his best friends back, soulmates or not. Especially since he now spent more time with Alex and George alone again, and he hated being the only one without a partner </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And yes, he was in love with him, he had fallen so hard for the prince, and the silence between them killed him. It broke his heart, and for once, he wished he wasn’t the Avatar, that he was just a simple boy who could live a normal life at his foster parents’ house. So he never would’ve met Max, so he never would’ve gone through all of this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all the silence between them, it genuinely surprised him when he received a letter, the emblem on the envelope making it clear that it came from the Fire nation. He immediately noticed the hand-writing to be Max’, and an unsettling feeling spread in his gut, his heart racing. Was he going to address what had happened? Was he telling him that he didn’t want to see him ever again? With shaking hands, he opened the letter, taking a deep breath before starting to read it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey Lando,<br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em></em>
    <span>I know we haven’t really talked the past couple of weeks. I’m sorry. I’ve been an asshole, and I hope you accept my apology.</span><br/>

  
  <em>
    <span>If you do, please meet me tonight at the Pro-bending Arena.<br/>
</span>
  </em>
  <em></em>
  <span>Love, Max</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lando stared at the paper in his hands before quickly getting up and packing his things. For whatever reason, the letter had arrived later than usual, and Land could already see the sun set at the horizon. He grabbed his bag, running down the hallway, only to stop by George’s room. The airbender sat on the floor with his brother in front of him, playing some card game, while Alex was laying on his bed. Lando looked at his three friends, the distress clearly showing on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You need to cover for me. I don’t know when I’m back, just… tell your parents that I’m not feeling well or some stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>George only nodded and turned back to the game, and as Lando continued his way out, he could hear Alex shout ‘Greet Max from us’ after him. Of course, his friends had known about it, why didn’t he think of that. Max had probably confided in them before writing the letter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando looked around as he crossed the patio, careful not to be seen by the rest of the family, making his way down to the docks. Instead of running up the docks and onto the small boat, a stopped right at the edge of the water. The boat was too loud and too slow, so he took a step forwards, smiling at the water beneath his foot froze (waterbending had its perks). He looked back once before taking another step, and then another, and before he knew, he was running over the surface with the water freezing beneath his feet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He arrived at the Pro-bending Arena as the last rays of sunshine disappeared, the lights of the arena being the only source of light. He walked up to the entrance, wanting to open the door, but someone was quicker, opening it with full force. Behind it stood Dan with a bright grin on his face, pulling him inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, he’s waiting for you already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando decided not to question any of it (Max and Dan were really close, of course, Max had told him) and followed him up the stairs, further up than he would have thought was possible. They came to halt in front of another door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to let you go alone from here.” Dan looked at him the most serious Lando had ever seen him. “Be kind, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger one nodded and watched how the firebender walked away, leaving him alone. So this was it. Whatever was behind that door, it would determine his future. He knocked carefully before opening the door and stepping inside, the door slamming shut as he stared at the scenery in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t known that the arena had a loft-type area above it, with an astonishing view over the city and Yue Bay. Someone had placed pillows in front of the big window, and Max was sitting on those pillows, quickly getting up as he heard Lando enter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You came.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I came. Why shouldn’t I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t see Max’ expression to the full extent, the room being way too dimly lit for that, but he knew that Max was blushing. It was such a Max-thing to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need to.” Lando walked over to him, biting his lip before gesturing at the pillows. “Look cozy…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is. We uhm- We can sit down if you want to…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat down without another word, playing with the hem of the pillowcase, not really daring to look at Max. This was odd, this didn’t feel right, he wanted the easiness back. The feeling of being best friends, joking around, and not the tension between them, the unspoken ‘we fucked up’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them said a word, both busying themselves with unnecessary things, avoiding eye contact as the full moon crept up the sky. A warm feeling spread throughout his body, the feeling of having something familiar with him, someone to look over him. How often had the people told him the story of the girl who had given her life for the moon after the Fire nation had attacked the Northern Water Tribe and killed the Moon spirit? For the first time in an eternity, Lando felt as if she was watching over him, making sure that he was safe. Seeing the water sparkle in the moonlight, he remembered the small vial Lewis had given him, and he reached into his pocket, taking it out and holding it into the light. It shimmered and lit up slightly, catching Max’ attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spirit water. Lewis gave it to me at the wedding.” Lando smiled a bit, finally looking at Max. “It can heal anything, he said.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max seemed to hesitate a moment, the wheels in his head turning, and he worried his lower lip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Scars too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. It… It can heal nearly everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They looked at each other in silence, the water like a barrier in between them. Lando was the first one to move, slowly raising his hand to put it on Max’ cheek, just below his scar. The firebender didn’t move away, only keeping their eyes locked, swallowing hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me to… to heal it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If… If you can, please… I would actually like being able to see with both eyes again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled, clearly nervous, but Lando could see in his eye that he wanted to say more, something that was weighing down on his heart and mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Close your eyes and hold still… I don’t know if it will hurt, but be prepared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max did as he was told, and Lando opened the vial, guiding the water out. He held it between his hands for a moment, admiring its beauty, before bending onto the other’s scar, holding it in place. His hands and the water started to light up, and he closed his eyes so he could fully concentrate on the healing process. It was to their luck that it was a full moon night, a night in which every waterbender’s abilities were heightened, and by the sounds Max made, Lando was pretty sure that he was doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> (even though he didn’t know if it was good or bad).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he felt that his hands were only surrounded by cold water and the thrill of healing went away, he carefully put the water into the vial again before looking at Max. He didn’t want to be disappointed if it hadn’t worked. He just wanted Max to smile, to be happy… And if he hadn’t accomplished that, he would never forgive himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lando.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max’ voice was thin, about to break, and Lando took a deep breath, putting the vial carefully away before looking up. Max was hunched over a mirror, staring at his reflection, touching the injured side of his face. He didn’t seem to be able to tear his gaze away, but when he did, Lando noticed why: His eye was looking normal again, and the scar was completely gone, revealing a mark on his temple, a fine spiral, so similar to the one on Lando’s temple. The younger one stared at the other, his mind only slowly putting one and one together, a small smile forming on his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that mean…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Max looked completely gobsmacked, but he somehow managed to nod, not saying a word and pulling Lando close. They looked into each other’s eyes, and Lando took Max’ face into his hands, his fingers grazing over the formerly scarred skin. Then, he slowly leaned forward, their lips finally meeting, and it felt as if thousands and thousands of fireworks exploded in his stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And for once, he didn’t have to worry about his soulmate being defenseless and in danger just because they were the Avatar’s soulmate. His soulmate was Max Emilian Verstappen, future Fire Lord and more than capable of defending himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe life could be good.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>- this is a work of fiction, and neither the characters nor the setting belongs to me. comments and kudos are appreciated. -</p><p>waffelvandoorne on Tumblr!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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